Eyes wide shut
by ToniLOVESjolie
Summary: What happens when a newspaper editor and a rockstar meet? Will their attraction be able to overcome the obstacles in their way? This is JOLIE centric, with a heavy R rating for adult situations and language. Just an FYI, John is totally channeling Stephen Clay/ Caleb in this one! :)


Chapter One

Sitting at the loud smokey bar she stared at the remniants of her third beer wondering what the hell she was doing here and alone. It had been almost an hour and still she waited, getting more and more aggitated by the minute, where the hell was he? This definitely wasnt her idea of a good night, that would be sitting at home maybe catching up on shows she hadnt watched in awhile or just relaxing in a bath while she washed the days stresses away, but now she was forced out of her comfort zone and thrown into this, she glanced around at the occupants of the bar, she so didnt want to be here..

This had been Brody's idea, a way for them to celebrate his new promotion and yet here she was about to order beer number four and he was no where in sight, he had promised her he would be there, hell he had damn near begged her to go the night before and she had finally given in after his constant whining and complaining that they didnt hang out anymore since she had started her new job.

Granted her new role as editor of the Buchanan Tribune had been a life long dream even though her parents had essentially owned the paper but she had become editor, finally all the hard work she had done had paid off. Her days and nights sometimes ran together, it was a hard job for anyone take on but she was more then happy for the challenges of it, she had alot to prove and a reputation to uphold.

The sound of the band starting up in the distance made her grunt in dissatisfaction, why of all nights did there have to be a live band? Deciding to forgo the fourth beer she stood, an hour was more then enough time to wait..

"Natalie!" an excited squeal was heard as she spun her head around just in time to see a wide eyed Brody rushing over to her and wrapping his arms around her in a tight bear hug as she rolled her eyes..

"Your late" she said dryly as he pulled back a little but still kept his arms around her..

"Duly noted but i have a great excuse" he grinned and his smile always made her lighten up, it was the way he had about him, he was always so damn bouncy, it was contagious.."I ran into Cris and we got to talking" he began and she rolled her eyes, just like Brody to lose track of time..

"I was here for an hour" she said as she turned for the bar and ordered that much needed fourth beer..

"I am totally gonna make that up to you" he smiled as he ordered himself a drink and smiled at her..

Brody was an attractive man, his short cropped hair, big blue eyes, his build which Natalie had seen way too many times for her own liking would bring any woman to their knees if only he wasnt rooting for the other team. He was very tall in stature but he made that up with his personality, he had the ability to gain the attention of everyone in a room, it was one of the many things Natalie loved about him..

"Oh oh so what was i saying" he began as he sipped his drink..

"You ran into Cris and.." Natalie sipped her beer..

"Oh yeah thats right, ok so i was back at the apartment and i saw him getting his mail and let me just say that the man is finer than hell" he grinned big..

"and straighter then a door nail" Natalie said with a roll of her eyes..

"Thats just a minor detail Nat" Brody rolled his eyes.."dont be so negative"

"Ok ok...continue" Natalie said as she put her hands up in defeat, who was she to crush Brody's dreams of getting into the pants of Crisitan Vega anyway even if he was straight..

"Ok so i nonchalantly followed him in the elevator and after like a few seconds he asked me about the game" the way he spoke was almost as if he was telling some wild elaborate story, it made Natalie smirk..

"and? You dont watch sports" natalie rolled her eyes again playfully..

"You are missing the point here Nat, he had an actual conversation with me, he even called me by my name" he said with wide excited eyes..

"Oh now that you put it that way then of course he wants to sleep with you" she said with a sarcastic laugh as the band began playing loudly and she squinted her eyes..

"seriously girl you need to get out more, its only music" he laughed over the noise..

"Loud music, what the hell is this crap anyway" she shouted over all the hollars so that he could hear her..

"Only like one of the hottest rock bands out there right now" he grinned..

"when i have a splitting headache tomorrow i am blaming you" she said with a shake of her head..

"when did you become so antisocial huh" he said sarcastically..

"Ive always been anti social" he grinned as she sipped her drink and her eyes darted towards the sound of the voice that began singing, it was almost hypnotic the way his voice sounded, deep and raw, it gave her chills down her spine..

**Are you going places?**  
**See the world through naked eyes**  
**Does the truth bring peace of mind?**

**Are you happy, baby?**  
**Are you down with your old friends?**  
**Have you spent your common sense?**

**Clear white lines draw the straightest path**  
**To the main street of life that awaits you**  
**And leave behind your lies**

"I knew you'd like them" Brody grinned and put his arm around her shoulder..

Natalie rolled her eyes again.."i guess they are ok", and that was a complete lie cause they were actually pretty damn good now that singing was heard..

**If you wanna walk**  
**Babe, I'll walk with you**  
**To the freak show we created**

**If you really wanna do it, go on and on**  
**Then you're gonna have to face it**  
**No more hiding from**  
**The world through naked eyes**

**No more hesitating**  
**On this crooked avenue**  
**The answer's deep inside of you**  
**Yeah, yeah**

"come on lets get closer" Brody said as he tugged her along and she sighed as they pushed their way through the small crowd and towards the stage..

"whats their name" she asked as they got closer, her eyes stuck on the man singing, now he was definitely a sight to see. He had long brown hair, just past his shoulders, his face was full of stubble, his blue eyes seem to burn into her as he sang, it made her swallow hard as she looked at him. He was dressed in black leather pants and black boots, his chest was bare except for a few tattoos sparactically placed, and his body was something else entirely, god he was gorgeous..

**Clear white lines draw the straightest path **  
**to a mainstreem life that awaits you**  
**your souls begin to die**

**(clear white lines draw the straightest path**  
**to the mainstreet of life that awaits you**  
**on crooked avenue**  
**if you wanna walk, babe**  
**i will walk with ou**  
**to the freak show we created**  
**if you really wanna do with me the one-on-one...)**

"thats the funny thing" Brody grinned as he looked at her.."they go by Nameless" he shrugged his shoulders..

Natalie stared at the lead singer as he sang, his eyes were locked with hers and it made her body tingle, surely he wasnt really looking at her, she had to look around quick as she flushed but when she looked back he was definitely staring at her..

"their from AC, they are totally hitting it big, im surprised they are still playihng these small shows" Brody continued but she wasnt paying attention to him, she couldnt stop staring at the lead singer..It had been quite sometime that natalie had actually found herself oggling some dude but this guy, well he had the whole damn package, the voice, the eyes, hell she was sure he could sing just about anything, his voice exhumed sex..

**if you want to walk with me **  
**i'll walk with you**  
**to the freak show we created **  
**if you really want to do it **  
**go on and on**  
**then your gonna have to face it **  
**no more hiding from **  
**the world through naked eyes**  
**then your gonna have to face it when the dealin's done**

The air around her got hot and thick and she was sure she was burning up, he moved on the stage as his eyes stayed on her, a sexy smile on his lips as she drank in his body..The song began to die down and she suddenly became oddly aware of her staring, so much so that she seriously needed to get some distance and so she turned for the bar and left Brody rocking out to them..

She was embarassed with her behaviour, it wasnt like she hadnt seen a band play before but they were somehow different, he was different. She silently chastized herself for thinking in such a childish way, she was 25 for god sake not some love sick teenager drooling over a band member!

She quickly ordered herself another beer, she hadnt even noticed how much her hands were shaking until she went to reach for her beer, the bartender grinned at her and she flushed, damn it what had gotten into her, she quickly took a big sip as the music quieted down.. Maybe this was the result of not being with anyone for over a year, damn it her body was on fire!

She smelt his delicious aroma before she even turned to see him next to her at the bar..He leaned over and ordered a shot of whiskey and she inhaled for a second, the smell of sweat, body spray, shampoo and sex filled her nose..

"Hey" his voice was just as raw and deep as when he sang and for a second she was afraid to turn and look at him but she sucked it up and turned anyways, immediately she was struck with how incredibly good looking he was up close, he was so close his arm was brushing against hers.."enjoying the show?" he grinned as he drank back his shot and she was staring at his lips, he had the fullest most kissable lips she had ever seen..

"hey" she said totally not hearing his question and then immediately flushed, he raised an eyebrow and grinned..

"man i just want to say i am a huge huge fan" Brody said as he broke the awkward moment, natalie wanted to run and hide as she looked at Brody..

"thanks man, im glad you liked it" he said as he glanced at natalie who was feeling faint, his smell was just as intoxicating as him, she could almost imagine herself licking his salty skin..

"My girl here is the editor for the buchanan tribune, she could write an awesome piece on you" Brody blurted as Natalie's eyes got wide, she looked at Brody like she would kill him..

"Oh im not,...were not trying to be rude...brody" she began as John looked at her and grinned..

"I havent done an interview you quite some time" he began as his band began to play again, he looked at the stage then at her..."why dont you stick around after the show"

"we'd love to" Brody interjected before she could say anything and her eyes got wide as she looked at him..

"cool" he finished as he walked past them and natalie immediately looked at Brody..

"are you freaking insane, im not writting an article on him" she said with shock as a bunch of girls flocked to the stage and he began to sing again, she couldnt help but look again..

"Oh i know what you would like to do to him, and by the way your welcome" Brody laughed..

"what?" Natalie said with shock..

"How long has it been since you have been laid sweetheart" he raised an eyebrow and she turned red again..

"Oh my god your a freak" she hit him playfully on the arm, her eyes landed on John again and he winked at her, like literally winked..

"You'll be thanking me tomorrow when your sore and sated, i wonder if he has a big" Brody began and she shot him a look..

"dont even go there...god brody" she said with embarassment as she sucked down her beer quick..

"what? Just cause i say what your thinking" he grinned..

"i totally wasnt thinking that" she said quickly and Brody grinned..."Ok ok maybe a little geez" she laughed now as she blushed..

"you know all the hot ones are straight" He shook his head..

"and your just a fucking horn dog" she laughed..

"got me there babe" he grinned as he sipped his drink..

"yeah well now your gonna look like a liar cause im not staying to talk to him" she said as she finished off her beer and glanced at the door..

"Oh no you are not leaving, im doing you a favor" Brody began..

"Goodnight Brody" she said as she leaned in and kissed his cheek, she wasnt going to let this craziness continue any further, it was embarassing..

"Oh you totally dont play fair" he began but she started to walk towards the door, she couldnt help but glance at him as he sang on the stage, he was looking at her again, with a shake of her head she took off, she was so not going to make a fool of herself tonight!

Natalie got home and immediately went into her bedroom, stripping out of her clothes she couldnt stop laughing at the silliness of the situation., so what if he was hot and had the voice of an oversexed god, he was most likely close to thirty and in a damn band, she would be damned if she acted like a freaking groupie. The sad thing was that she could still smell him and as she stripped out of her clothes from the day she saw him in her head, the way he looked at her, god it did things to her body, she tried to shake off the feeling but honestly she was hot as hell for him, and she didnt even know his name, she tried not to think of him again as she went to the bathroom, all she needed was a cold shower, a very very cold shower..

Natalie found herself staring at her computer screen after she got out of the shower, she was on the webpage for Nameless and as silly as it seemed she was reading through the excerps.. His name was John McBain, born and raised in Atlantic City. He was 30 years old. The oldest son of Eve McBain, his father had been a police officer killed in the line of duty when he was just ten years old. It stated that he began writting songs to help deal with his loss, it was very moving to read and yet strange considering how hardcore he seemed.. The rest of the band members had been childhood friends of his, all growing up listening to Led Zepplin and Rush. They had formed the band during their senior year in highschool and slowly began making their way around the United States mainly doing small shows at local bars and venues..

Natalie was surprised to see that they had quite the following, they were definitely making a name for themselves, oddly enough she had been so busy over the years with her own life to even notice their music, she was never one to follow music anyways.

She suddenly felt very uncomfortable and slightly embarassed as she began to read on more, they were actually quite popular among the young crowd, selling out shows as big as Madison Square Garden, she felt herself flush some more as she looked at pictures of them standing side by side of some of the bands she had heard of like Shinedown and Metallica, these guys were really really huge in the mainstream..

Her eyes got wide when she began to read further about how they never allowed any interviews, like never..She thought back to Brody telling him about her being the editor of The Buchanan Tribune and how she had rolled her eyes, holy shit would he have allowed an interview?

Her heart began to race wildly as she click on the links, stopping at a picture of John, he was on stage in his getup, shirtless yet again as he sang, he was in front of a very large crowd, had to be atleast 30-40 thousand people there, she clicked on another link and her eyes got wider as she watched them accepting an award at the MTV video music awards, how the hell had she not of noticed, had she been that distracted for so many years..

She listened as she turned up the volume on her speakers, the entire band was up on stage, award in hand, all of them dressed in black suits, he looked damn good with clothes on too.. "My mom made this possible by dealing with the loud noise coming from the garage" he stated as he looked out to everyone in the crowd.."she pushed us to go on, she supported us every step of the way" he continued..."Love you mom" he said as cheers were heard..."and I just wanted to say to a very special woman, that i made it babe, we finally did it" he finished as the cameras panned over to a teary eyed blushing blonde haired girl..

Natalie felt her stomach tighten into a knot as the video ended, she didnt know why but she suddenly felt a rush of disappointment, of course he would be taken, why the hell wouldnt he be. The sound of the front door to the apartment being opened and then the sound of voices filling the livingroom made her quickly shut down her computer and turn off her light, apparently Brody was home and he wasnt alone, she turned on her side and pretended to be sleeping, she could hear rustling outside the door and then a laugh from Brody..

"shhh your gonna wake my roommate" he laughed drunkingly as a mans laugh could be heard and then his bedroom door closed as Natalie laid there staring into the dark room, well atleast Brody had gotten lucky tonight..

She fell into a very uneasy sleep, one filled with images of a certain blue eyed man with an equally blue eyed blonde chick, yes it was a restless night indeed..

Natalie awoke to a slightly pounding head and the smell of fresh brewed coffee accompianed with the sound of voices coming from the livingroom , one of them being Brody. She yawned as she sat up and glanced at her clock, only 6 am, she didnt have to be to work till 8, she sighed as she climbed from her bed, fully dressed in her Hello Kitty pajama bottoms and a tshirt, she walked out of her room and down the hall as laughing could be heard..

Brody stood as soon as she stepped into the livingroom, he wasnt alone as a tall dark haired man sat on the nearby couch, natalie immediately recognized him as the bartender from the night before, she froze a bit uncomfortably feeling as though maybe she had interupted something..

"and here she is my saving grace" brody grinned as he walked over to her and put his arm around her.."natalie this is Chase, chase this is Natalie"

"its nice to meet you natalie" Chase said very pleasent like. He was an attractive man with short cropped brown hair, he was dressed nice too in a pair of designer jeans and a snug fitting tshirt, apparently the light in the bar did him no justice, he was quite gorgeous.."I should probably get going" he said as he stood..

"I'll walk you out" Brody said with a grin as Natalie made her way in the kitchen, she never understood how Brody could get some of the best looking guys and yet he never settled down, he was the epitome of a man whore and hell she was jealous he could get away with it, she quickly grabbed a cup of coffee and took a long refreshing sip of the hot liquid.."so how did you sleep" Brody finally said as he came in the kitchen and she turned and glanced at him..

"apparently not as well as you, if you even slept at all" she smirked as she noticed he was still dressed in the same clothes from last night..

"Oh you know i dont kiss and tell" he grinned as he grabbed a cup of coffee and sipped it.."But i have to say he has a huge" he began as Natalie put her hand up..

"seriously Brody TMI, ok... way too early for details" she said quickly as he grinned..

"what? I was gonna say feet, big feet" he smirked and Natalie rolled her eyes.."But man you missed a great night not to mention Mr. Leather pants was asking about you" he smirked again..

Natalie couldnt help her surprised look as she tried to act nonchalant.."what? You should really get some sleep i think your delusional" she laughed a bit nervously..

"Ok dont believe me but..i guess you wouldnt care anyways cause youve taken a vow of celibacy" he said with a roll of his eyes..

Natalie just stared at him.."Im not celibate" she said sarcastically..

"damn near close" he laughed..."But anywho you wouldnt want to hear any boring details about how he kept going on and on about you" he said with a shrug of his shoulders as he walked into the livingroom..

She quickly followed behind him.."what kind of boring details" she couldnt help but ask as Brody sat on the couch and sipped his coffee, he shrugged his shoulders and smirked at her.."Ok ok i want to know, what did he say" she said as she climbed on the couch next to him and crossed her legs indian style..

"well he said you were pretty hot" he grinned..

"he what?" she felt her face flush as she looked at Brody..

"and that he liked your hair" he grinned some more..Natalie touched her hair subconsciously and Brody laughed.."You know, all that kind of boring crap" he smirked..

"Your lying" Natalie said quickly as her heart began to race, had he been asking about her, this big rock star guy asking about her, what were the odds?

"Oh please you saw the way he was looking at you" he rolled his eyes..

"he wasnt looking at me in any way" she said with a nervous laugh as she thought back to him looking at her with those damn bedroom eyes..

"Uh huh, you both could of started a fire at the way you were eye fucking each other" he laughed and she slapped him on the arm..

"Hey i wasnt eye fucking anyone" she said with embarassment..

"Bullshit, i know eye fucking and you were both going at it" he laughed..

Natalie felt her face get burning hot with embarassment, was she looking at him like that, had other people noticed?

"You really have too much time on your hands" Natalie rolled her eyes..

"that may be so but still" he smiled..

Natalie suddenly felt like she needed to change the subject, she was incredibly flushed and feeling woozy now as she sat there, all the blood rushing to her face had that affect..

"so tell me about Chase, he seemed nice" she said as she diverted his attention..

"he was fun" he said with a shrug of his shoulders..

"Fun? Dont tell me your going to break the poor guys heart" she began as he shrugged his shoulders..

"i cant help it if i am irressitable" he smirked..

"More like a tease" Natalie slapped him again..

"oh believe me there was more then just teasing going on" he grinned..

"TMI remember" she said with a shake of her head..

"Hey you gotta live your own sick twisted thoughts through me somehow" he grinned big..

"You are so bad Brody" she laughed..

"and thats why you love me" he said as he put his arm around her..

"yeah yeah.." she laughed..

"You really should of stayed though, i think you may of even gotten lucky" he grinned as she shook her head..

"believe me the last person i would ever get involved with is some rockstar with a huge ego and a girlfriend" she couldnt help herself as Brody pulled back and looked at her..

"girlfriend?" he said with confusion.."did you research him last night" he smirked, natalie quickly looked away as she sipped her coffee.."Oh my god you did, you whore" he laughed..

"Oh puhlease look whose calling who a whore" she laughed as she stood now, he did too..

"Oh sweetheart im not a whore i just like variety" he grinned..

"and your a whore" she laughed..

"use it before i lose it, right, i mean hell i only have probably another good twenty years ahead of me then its all down hill" he laughed..

"Your crazy" she shook her head as she walked past him.."i gotta take a shower"

"You know he doesnt have a girlfriend anymore or didnt you read that in your stalking of him" brody called out and she stopped now but she didnt face him.."thats right sweetheart he is free and single to mingle"

Natalie faced him now.."well good for him" she said with a roll of her eyes..

"He's gonna be in town a few more days" he smirked..

"and im going in the shower, get some sleep Brody" she said with a laugh but she couldnt help but think about what he said, was he really single now and staying in town a few days, now that was intriguing to say the least..

Natalie sat at her desk at BE, she was currently working on an article about the new neonatal unit in the hospital, not surprisingly it was being fully funded by her father who happened to be the chief of staff at Lanview General Hospital. She was putting her finishing touches on it when she heard a knock at her door, she lifted her head up for a second expecting to either see one of her brothers or her father.."come in" she called out but much to her surprise the person walking through the door was none other then Mr. Rockstar himself..


End file.
